winter crappie!!! best time of year for heavy fish.

**FalconSmitty** · 12-12-2013, 08:09 PM

Winter Crappie fishing, southern lakes can change in a matter of days and month to month. When you think of winter fishing, December to Early February, what is your go to technique? I have a few methods. Follow the bait and birds is my main key this time of year. I start scanning with side image and sonar in open water. On my lakes that can mean 60'-70' water but most of the time I start in 40-50fow working main creek or river channels on up to 10fow til I find the shad and fish. At times the fish will be suspended below the bait fish off the bottom so I put the bait right at the bottom of the bait. Most days the crappie seem to be hugging bottom below the bait balls. Maybe staying away from huge striper or just waiting for the dead to sink for an easy meal. Winters cool temps lowers their metabolism so they don't have to work as hard. I use a bottom bumping rig with 2 baits on loop knots 2' and 4' up the line. I like a BIG shiner, not a bass shiner, a #2 shiner works for me. Bigger bait means less work for bigger meal, metabolism u know. My other method is slow long line trolling or pushing jigs slowly. BIGGEST KEY IS SLOW SLOW SLOW!Also on sunny days in january I might stick a cork on long lines because those big gals seem to want to sun or warm this time of year. especially if the water is stained from winter rains. Oconee is a great place for this. on this forum we have some great fishermen and women. Share a little know how with those just begining to learn how great it is to fish for crappie. Thanks to all that respond... Smitty

**Dutch** · 12-12-2013, 08:48 PM

Good advice...thanks Robert. We are going to be at Harding on Jan. 20th maybe we'll see ya out on the water.

**FalconSmitty** · 12-12-2013, 09:33 PM

I'll try to be there again. You coming to Eufaula jan 4th?

**Slabby15** · 12-13-2013, 07:26 AM

Merry Christmas Smitty. Great tips for winter fishing. I hope ya'll are doing well. Wes

**Shine Runner** · 12-13-2013, 07:59 PM

Good tips. From Nov till mid Feb I will start on the river channels where they meet a major creek looking for shad schools with fish under them. Lots of variables will move the shad and fish so I will work up and down river from the creeks watching the sonar. Target same depth the higher fish are showing to 2 or 3 feet above the fish. As with any fishing be prepared to learn something each trip and try to remember it.

**drill instructor** · 12-15-2013, 01:27 PM

I recently sent some tips to a friend of mine and its almost word for word from what you said smitty. Everyone should try deep trolling this time of the year, it can be amazing and predictable once you find them.